Chapter 552: Chaos Unfolds
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation.com
The air was charged with terror as people screamed and ran in every direction, resembling the chaos following an explosion. Campus security guards reacted immediately, instinctively reaching for their revolvers and scanning the area for the source of the panic.
Nina’s conversation was abruptly cut short by the commotion. She instinctively grabbed Shirley’s arm and turned to see where the terrifying screams were coming from.
Crossing into the chaos felt like entering another realm. The noise level spiked to an unbearable crescendo, causing sharp pain that reverberated through the senses. A blinding light filled the sky as if night had suddenly fallen. The air became a cacophony that stung the eyes and skin, as though the very atmosphere was evaporating. Hovering in the chaotic sky was a massive, indescribable sphere, pulsating wildly as if alive.
Shadowy figures emerged—indescribable forms moving erratically. Their bone-chilling screams seemed to shake the very fabric of reality.
In the midst of the chaos, my mind raced with questions: Where was my weapon? My armor? My comrades? Where was I in this cosmic mess?
Suddenly, a horrifying mass of darkness materialized, crashing onto the ground with an earth-shattering thud. It resembled flesh but had a strange, metallic sheen, making it look both organic and inorganic. Its morphing surface occasionally shimmered with prismatic lights, and within that chaotic luminance, something seemed to be screeching and pulsating.
Panic overtook the crowd. People screamed, pushing and shoving to escape the unknown terror.
Amidst the chaos, only the two “Truth Guardians” on the scene maintained their composure. Swiftly drawing their handguns and mystical tools, they ran towards the abomination—a ‘Reality Intruder.’
Their urgent shouts pierced the cacophony, reaching Nina and Shirley: “Kids, run!”
Shaken by the guards’ urgent calls, Nina’s eyes widened in disbelief as she focused on the epicenter of the chaos. For a moment, she questioned her own sanity.
Because, for a brief instant—perhaps no more than a second or two—she thought she saw something even more shocking than the nightmarish mass of darkness. The entity seemed to take on the form of a human being.
She immediately doubted her perception as the moment was incredibly brief. Judging from the reactions of the people around her, it seemed that no one else had caught that particular detail.
The Truth Guardians were already springing into action. Unsure of how to deal with the mysterious intruder, they refrained from opening fire immediately. Instead, they smashed several test tubes filled with volatile substances onto the ground. The chemicals quickly vaporized, forming a misty “gas wall” in the air. When rays of sunlight hit this mist, it refracted into a beautiful, mesmerizing light.
A barrier resembling a crystalline rainbow materialized, separating the crowd from the incomprehensible chaos.
The two original guards, acting as the front line of defense, ventured into the magical “gas wall.” One guard took up a defensive position, aiming his revolver with intense focus at the writhing mass. His partner scattered mystical liquids and enchanted dust across the terrain, then ignited a portable candelabrum, filling the air with an eerie, flickering light. He assembled a makeshift barrier using crystal and metal blocks, strategically placed to restrict the entity’s range of motion.
Soon after, a sharp whistle reverberated from the opposite end of the street. Reinforcements answered the call, herding the remaining pedestrians away from the crisis. Once inside the protective “gas wall,” they began coordinated rituals to seal, restrain, and purify malevolent forces.
Standing at a safe distance, Nina and Shirley watched in awe. Far from being anxious, they found the event fascinating. They had encountered various supernatural phenomena but witnessing professional guardians handle an emergency “by the book” was different. It was a far cry from how Uncle Duncan, whom they affectionately called the Captain, managed crises—usually with less ceremony and more improvisation.
As they absorbed these details, the bizarre, metallic life-form began to convulse violently. The makeshift magical seals were under extreme duress. A translucent, shell-like structure that enveloped the entity began to crack inch by inch, each fracture accompanied by an earsplitting screech. Two guardians conducting the restraining rituals were forced to retreat; the crystal prism in one of their hands shattered upon contact with the force.
This surge of activity appeared to be the entity’s final act of resistance.
Panting, the guardians prepared to reinforce their barriers, but before they could act, they noticed the creature had started to weaken. The noises it emitted, reminiscent of mechanical hissing and friction, began to fade. Its shape, once ever-changing, started to solidify. The radiant, metallic sheen turned a dull, lifeless gray, as if it were decaying into stone.
Finally, it ceased all movement, save for occasional faint twitches.
“Target activity is declining; it has ceased reacting to Catalyst 17,” one guard announced, holding a revolver and several test tubes.
Another guardian, clutching an ancient tome, continued to observe the mass. He seemed to be using other senses to evaluate the situation. Finally, he spoke with cautious relief, “The target shows no signs of cognitive activity.”
For the moment, the crisis seemed averted, leaving Nina, Shirley, and everyone else to ponder what had transpired and its implications for their reality.
“Central zone still exhibits some activity, but it’s declining… Also, there’s no evidence suggesting it’s sending or receiving external signals.”
“It’s not reacting to Category III catalysts either. This entity doesn’t match any known ‘invader species’ in our database. Any word on when specialists from the Academy will arrive?”
“The message has been dispatched; they’ll take at least fifteen minutes to get here.”
“Very well. Everyone, maintain heightened vigilance, keep close tabs on your mental states, and stay within the barrier zone. Report any unusual visual or auditory phenomena immediately.”
The guardians handled the unfamiliar situation with professionalism and speed. Despite facing an entirely novel entity, they kept their composure and acted without hesitation. That is, until an unexpected voice broke their concentration.
“Um… excuse me, Mr. Guardian, could you tell us what this thing actually is?”
Nina, holding Shirley’s hand, approached the largely inert entity—a mysterious “living metal mass.” Inquisitiveness getting the better of her, Nina posed her question.
The nearest guardian nearly jumped out of his boots.
Garbed in scholarly robes rather than battle armor, he spun around with wide eyes and disbelief. He assumed these young girls would have been among those evacuated. Why were they still here?
As he processed the situation, he faced an even more confounding mystery.
“How did you get inside this area?!”
He scrutinized Nina and Shirley incredulously. A quick check confirmed the magical “gas wall,” designed to quarantine the site, was still intact a few meters behind them. This shimmering barrier, with its rainbow-like crystalline texture, had not been tampered with. His senses hadn’t detected any interaction with the barrier.
How did these two girls, who seemed no older than middle school students, nonchalantly stroll into this restricted zone?
“I just walked in,” Nina replied, now visibly nervous at the guardian’s shocked reaction and the heightened alertness of the other guards. “I just… walked right in.”
Standing beside her, Shirley nodded in confirmation, assuming an innocent expression. “We were curious and thought we’d get a closer look, sir.”
“You just walked in?!” His eyes widened in disbelief. Years of training kicked in. He recited Lahem’s prayer for protection, one hand reaching for his sidearm. Despite his protective maneuvers, his eyes never left the girls.
A subtle silver luminescence flickered in the guardian’s eyes, trying to discern the truth.
Nina and Shirley stood there, embodying the innocence of typical kids enjoying an uneventful walk. They did not appear to harbor ill intentions or secrets.
Nina was genuinely clueless. She had seen the misty barrier but perceived it as a symbolic boundary, much like a line drawn on a playground in chalk. She walked through it, feeling no resistance.
Shirley had the same experience. It was as though she walked in concert with the sunlight passing through the barrier.
The tension was palpable. The guardians were on high alert. A faint silvery glow emanated from their eyes, a result of invoking Lahem’s blessings. They scrutinized Nina and Shirley, who behaved and spoke in unsettling yet ordinary ways.
After their scrutiny, they found nothing amiss.
The eldest guardian, with decades of experience, sensed an elusive dissonance. It was as though a secret hovered just out of visibility. His gaze lingered on Nina, suspicion glinting in his eyes.
But then, unexpectedly, he was overtaken by a sense of calmness. It felt unnecessary to delve deeper into his suspicions. This sensation prompted him to quell the light in his eyes.
Rubbing his eyes, the guardian felt the initial unease drift away.
“Did we interrupt your work?” Nina inquired, her tone tinged with polite regret.
The guardians exchanged glances. A few communicated wordlessly before huddling to confer.
Finally, the eldest guardian, still wary, stepped forward.
“Excuse me, young ladies,” he began, choosing his words carefully. “Would you mind accompanying us for a brief discussion?”
I am surprised she didn’t call for Duncan.
Same.
. Yeah, what are they doing?!! Report to Duncan immediately! I’m afraid this will bring them into a perilous situation
[ She had strolled right through it, feeling no more resistance than the ease with which sunlight passes through a pane of glass. ]
Because Nina actually IS like Sunlight, seems like that barrier uses the Suns power to work so it’s only natural that it ain’t working on sunlight!
[ Shirley had the same experience—she too felt no obstruction. It was as though she was walking in concert with the very sunlight that was passing effortlessly through the barrier. ]
Because she literally is walking with Sunlight!
[ But then, quite unexpectedly, he was overtaken by a sense of unexplained calmness. It was as though there was no longer any need to delve deeper into his suspicions. ]
That’s something interresting for the power scaling, till now all “strong” characters could see Nina’s true form but even that experienced truth guardian can’t so they are on another level.
Going further, we’ve seen Loham prevent their followers from learning dangerous knowlege (these protective crystals, that elf forgetting what they saw) so maybe they intervend and calmed the guardian?
Haha Lahem sure did Morris a trick when he allowed him to see both Nina and Duncan’s true forms back in chapter…. 150 something.
Poor guy had his consciousness repeatedly shattered and reformed and couldn’t even think straight.